Cold Comfort
by Lady Karasu
Summary: ...how ironic it would be, with all the fights he’d been in... with all the enemies they shouldn’t have been able to beat, for him to die here, quietly in the snow.
1. Down on his luck

In view of the recent efforts of other writers in the OP community, I know I can't do this series justice- but darn it, I'm gonna try anyway. (Well, that and I already promised to finish it…)

Two steps forward, three steps back  
Without warning, heart attack  
He fell asleep in the snow  
Never woke up, died alone

-Type O Negative

Cold Comfort

Still as it may be, the frigid air continued to leech precious heat from his body. Sanji looked up again, trying to judge the angle of light coming in from the only opening above. It had been some time now, since he had been left alone; sitting huddled in this jagged grotto, grateful he had managed to pull himself to the relative support of the wall. He had been listening intently for any sounds above for at least the last two hours, but there was nothing to be heard. It was dead quiet; no wind, not even a bird to be heard for all he strained.

The eerie stillness was beginning to disturb him in an almost primal way- the sort a child remembers, before logic tells him not to fear the dark- where the unknown is watching, waiting…

He shifted slightly, if only for the moment of sound- proving his ears still worked with the snow that crunched faintly under him. There was no reason he should be this edgy; he could take care of himself, had been able to for some time. Still… this felt wrong. He was out of place here and that unsettled him; like he was somehow trespassing in a dead world- with the almost deafening silence pressing in on him now, and the endless stretch of white he knew was above…

He looked around, eyes searching any movement; even a drifting flake of snow, but there was none. It almost felt like he was caught up in a frozen moment, crystallized for only him to see.

It might even have been pretty; with the glassy ice catching the light just right... had he not lost his cigarettes on the way down, and the fall hadn't done _something_ to his back, preventing him from reaching them.

But Nami-san was safe; he had gotten her out of harm's way when the false ground fell away, and she had gone for help- so it wouldn't be long before he could have his precious nicotine, and a warm drink, and then it would be time to make dinner...

He tucked his hands under his arms gingerly, fighting down panic that he could no longer feel them. Of course he had given Nami-san his own warmed gloves once hers grew cold, and being the fey beauty she was, her gloves couldn't possibly fit him in return. But he was fine if he kept moving, and kept his hands in his pockets, and of course he couldn't have smoked in his gloves anyway, so it all worked out really...

Except he couldn't keep moving, not anymore. He had barely managed to sit up as it was; had long ago lost feeling in his legs, though he wasn't certain if that was entirely due to the cold. He hoped it was, though it might not make much difference in the end. He'd be fine so long as he had his hands. Prop him up, he could still cook- Zeff had proved that...

He wasn't sure how long he sat, gazing at the cigarettes not 10 feet out of his reach, in his own world. It probably wasn't a good sign that he had stopped shivering during that quiet contemplation.

A thought occurred to him then, of how ironic it would be- with all the fights he'd been in- all the _stupid_ trouble their captain had pulled them through; with all the enemies they shouldn't have been able to beat... for him to die here, quietly in the snow.

That struck him somehow, and laughter bubbled to the surface- soft at first then growing in strength. It only lasted a minute; he wasn't so far gone that he couldn't hear the hysterical edge to it, realize how unseemly it was. He stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath, and an oppressive silence closed in on his world again.

It would be ok- he just had to hold out a little longer.

A lonely thought emerged in that quiet, wondering if he had been forgotten- or if there had ever been a Going Merry, or a Baratie, or anything else out there besides him. Had he always been alone...? Was this just a fever dream- would he wake up again, on that damned rock, starving under the unforgiving sun?

But that couldn't be right- he didn't dream all of that. There were people out there- his nakama- and they were looking for him. It was just taking time. The terrain was so bland, so easy to get lost there- and with Luffy or Zoro's sense of direction, even Nami-san would be hard pressed to lead them here. They were likely still looking for his lonely crevice among the crags and rocks.

As comforting as thoughts of rescue should be, he spent the next several minutes pushing down the galling thought of being saved by the cabbage-head. He wasn't certain he could make himself call to that bonehead for help. Zoro or death... it was a hard decision.

Finally, someone above called his name- nearly screaming to be heard at distance, relieving his worry. He hadn't been forgotten, and even as relief flooded him he wondered how he ever could have doubted them. To hear his captain now, it seemed absurd. Most people would think Luffy was angry when he used that tone, but the cook knew better; could hear the desperate edge to his voice, had heard it once before, in another desolate and freezing wasteland. Or had he dreamt that too? Surely he wasn't now...

And then the voice was moving away- calling in a new direction, hopeful and desperate, and he knew his chance was passing. He tried to move, prepared to yell- wanting nothing more than to call out, let his captain know he was alright- but his jaw wouldn't work; tongue sitting thick in his mouth. Even so, any noise- any noise could be enough to get his attention, but try as he might, he couldn't muster the strength to make more than a faint keening whine.

Exhausted and mute, he finally slumped back- the last of his energy spent.

So very tired now, maybe he would feel better after a short nap...

- - -

This chapter gave me issues- sorry. Thanks much to Miyu for the help and Beta'ing- I would still be revising, and revising, and revising were it not for her. Now- I finally get to go back to work on 2 and 3, which have been vying for my attention (and frankly, sound much better). Its unheard of for me to post something unfinished- please bear with me…


	2. Creative words for 'hole in the ground'

I guess the poor boy's been down there long enough- time to rectify that. Sorry its been taking me so long to post, I've been debating on where I was going with something- and depending on which choice wins the debate, there may or may not be a plot to this thing yet… Either way, I hope this chapter is worth your time- I'm not certain I'm happy with it, but I hope it is entertaining, none the less.

* * *

"Oi, Luffy... LUFFY! I found him!"

The swordsman straightened from his crouch, scanning the surrounding area for his wayward captain. Miles and miles of stark white land spread out around him, but Luffy was nowhere to be seen. Well, that was just wonderful. Now how the hell was he going to get that stupid love-cook out?

Irritated, he crouched over the crevasse again, peering down. It was a far drop; too great a distance to safely jump. Resigned, he scanned the perimeter of the opening for likely handholds; a place to climb down.

The part of his mind that would rather be doing _anything_ but trudging around in the snow looking for an errant crewmate thought it would be easier if the damn cook could just climb up, but the more rational portion noticed that he wasn't moving- hadn't budged at his call for their captain, didn't seem to acknowledge his presence at all.

Zoro snorted suddenly, thinking he rarely noted _anyone's_ presence if they weren't female, and distantly wondering if he was being played for a fool.

"Hey", he hollered over the edge, more for his own peace of mind than for anything else, "get your ass up here! I don't feel like coming down there after you!"

He waited a minute, letting the echo of his own voice fade.

Nothing.

The cook didn't even stir. Damn fool probably knocked himself out in the fall, for all Zoro knew. Except…

He shook off the thought before it could fully form; he was just wasting time- out in the cold, which is the last place he wanted to be. Nami said she had talked to him, didn't she? He had to have survived the fall then; leaving _him_ to clean up the mess. As usual.

Stupid cook.

Well, there was nothing to be done for it. The captain wanted his cook back, so he'd get his cook back.

Heaving a great sigh of resignation, Zoro found a place to descend and carefully started climbing. It was a slow, uncomfortable process- the jagged rocks dug into his flesh at every contact, and his swords clattered against the rough wall, hampering his legs.

When he reached the bottom he took a moment to readjust the swords, keen eyes taking in his surroundings. Now that he was up close, Zoro was surprised the cook _had_ been conscious after the fall. He could see where the blonde had landed, the track of disturbed snow showing where he had managed to move- drag, rather – himself the few feet over to the wall he was curled into, for all the meager shelter it provided.

A cursory glance noted a pack of cigarettes that lay a few feet in the other direction- throwing into relief how bad the fall had to be. He also noticed what looked like a small spot of blood where the impact had been.

Then there was Sanji, himself.

Judging by the thin sheen of snow that now decorated the cook, it didn't look like he had moved in some time. Ice crystals clung to his eyelashes and bangs, matting his hair and giving him a lifeless look belied only by the faint, subtle movement of breath stirring his chest.

It said something that for all of Zoro's careful observation, he only barely noticed the movement. It lent a sense of urgency to the matter, but still he paused- cautious.

He took in the way Sanji was sitting; hunched in on himself with his legs splayed out like a discarded rag doll. Considering the distance he had fallen, it was plausible that he had broken something- though the green haired man couldn't be certain what if the man was unconscious.

He reached out, more gently than would be expected, and nudged his shoulder lightly- a seemingly safe area. "Oi, love-cook, get 'yer ass up, I'm not carrying you." The usual bite only half carried in his voice- speaking to the seriousness of the situation.

The blonde's head lolled slightly to the side in response. It didn't look like he was going to have any help getting them out of there- not that he really expected it, now that he had gotten a closer look at the man. Huffing a long-suffering sigh, Zoro stepped back, looking up the wall he had just descended.

How the hell was he going to get Sanji back up to the surface? He could try climbing one-handed, but couldn't be certain of the other man's safety, with the rough handling that would require.

He stared at the wall before him, waiting for an idea to strike him. Strike. A lip curled as he silently cursed his inability to draw a sword and cut their way out of this problem…

The thought trailed off and he paused, eyes sliding to his swords as inspiration descended upon him.

It could work.

Suddenly he was moving, opening his coat quickly and hiking up the Harimaki to reveal the sword belt beneath. Noting the slack, he loosened the buckle slightly, just enough to permit his hand passage between it and his flesh. Perfect. He tugged at it hard once, to make sure it would hold. Satisfied with craftsmanship, he reached for his bandana- then paused; it was his first thought, but he knew it wouldn't be long enough for a proper knot, and he had nothing else to make a secure binding…

His eyes slid once more to the sleeping blonde, and a thought occurred.

Two strides closed the distance between them, and a quick search of his crewmate yielded the tie he was looking for. He wondered why Sanji bothered with the damn thing as his fingers stumbled over the knot, then finally he removed it- refastening the other man's coat, and straightening up. A simple tug on this as well, proved the material strong enough to hold.

Eyeing Sanji for a long moment, he debated the best way to do this. Finally, he turned his back to the other man and crouched between his splayed legs- reaching to take his arms. He pulled them over his shoulders, back to chest with Sanji now, and in one fluid motion, stood, taking the cook with him.

Arms dangled over his shoulders as he supported the other man's weight, and he backed up a step to pin him lightly to the wall, freeing his own hands. It was a simple matter then, to bind his wrists to the sword belt, threading one under the leather as he had prepared earlier; testing the hold on the blonde's weight before partially refastened his own coat around the cook's arms, and preparing to scale the wall once more.

One hand on the stone wall and he stopped abruptly, turning back to retrieve the pack of cigarettes he noted earlier. He didn't need to hear any bitching about them later.

Once stowed safely in his coat, the swordsman began his assent. It was slow going- each hold double tested before the extra weight was entrusted to it. A few proved too week, crumbling in his grip, and he was forced to take a longer route back up. Once there, it only took a few minutes to unhook Sanji and resituate them both- then he picked up his burden once more, and began the long trek back to the Going Merry, and their Doctor.

* * *

This was actually longer, but got cut into two chapters, expect the next (assuming your still with me, here...) in a few days. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter- it means a lot to me (and my tiny little ego...) As always, C&C is welcome 


	3. Long and winding road

This was originally part of the last chapter, but ended up growing into one of its own- just took a couple more days to edit and revise (i.e., make it readable...) to post it. Hope it makes up for the delay between the first two. The next should be up relatively soon (for my timing, anyway...) too, since its already started.

* * *

Luffy looked around the cavern he had entered- gazing interestedly at the ice crystallizing the walls. He tilted his head, this way and that- watching the tiny rainbows flicker when shafts of sunlight hit it _just right_…

His stomach grumbled loudly, protesting the passing of another uneaten meal, and he remembered his mission.

"Saaaaanjiiiiiiiiiii!", he yelled loudly, a chorus of ghostly Luffy's accompanying him in his call as the sound bounced off walls some distance away. He smiled slightly at the novelty, and yelled 'steak' next- then 'lamb', 'fish', and 'yeti'.

He wasn't sure where he had heard the last one, but it sounded tasty. Maybe Sanji could cook him one when they got back. It had to be some kind of meat- maybe he'd shish-kabob it?

The thoughts of different dishes filled his mind so quickly that by the time his stomach complained again, he had nearly forgotten why he was there- but called out for the cook again at the reminder. He didn't know where he could be- he KNEW Nami had said to come here for him… it was a big icy cavern, so Sanji _had_ to be here.

He put his hands on his hips- annoyed now, that the cook was hiding. This was no time to play- it was past lunch, now!

Looking around again, he started trudging further along the cliff he had come down. Sanji had to be here somewhere- he'd just have to find him. They could play again back on the ship. _After_ lunch. And a snack… or three.

Smiling now at the thought, he called out once more; his voice reverberated across the icy walls - causing threatening cracks along the structure, though he never noticed.

Luffy continued his search- walking deeper into the gorge, never noticing when the light faded behind narrowing walls above.

Zoro wasn't sure how far he had walked, but it already seemed like it had taken too long- like he wasn't really _moving_ anywhere. The frozen land passed under him without much notice; the land so bleak in its sameness as to leave no landmarks to judge the time or distance with.

The place he had found Sanji was long behind them, he knew- but the ship was still nowhere in sight. He continued to move on, following the shallow tracks he had left behind in his venture from the Going Merry. The trail he followed weaved almost aimlessly, but he was reluctant to leave it- knowing that it was certain to end at the ship.

His muscles had started to burn from the effort and cold- even as skin had numbed uncomfortably, icy needles prickling his flesh. The pervasive chill seemed to seep into his very bones, leaving him worn and weary- but he didn't dare stop to rest.

The swordsman trudged forward, limp burden swaying slightly with each step. It was funny; with the other man unconscious and so obviously helpless (a fact that he registered for the next time they had an argument) it was almost hard to remember what an _ass_ he was when awake.

Well, not that hard, really.

He had wanted just to throw the cook over his shoulder and hurry back, but some twinge had stopped him. It would have made things easier- much easier, but he wasn't sure how badly injured the other man was, and didn't want Chopper to... well, he wouldn't yell, exactly- there was certainly no heat in it when he did- but that _look_ he'd give was so much worse. It almost made him feel... guilty.

Almost.

He hitched his burden higher, ready to start a one-sided argument with the unconscious man, if only to break the monotony; the soft crunch of snow under his boots the only outward sound. Even that was a relief, over the din of blood and breath in his ears.

Once or twice he had thought he'd seen something on the horizon, hope flaring that it had been the ship, or one of his nakama- even a shelter to take pause at, but in each case, whatever it had been was gone when he'd turned his head to look.

He was almost beginning to wonder if he was going crazy, but shrugged it off. He didn't have time for something as trivial as insanity.

Zoro looked out over the barren land- the space he had yet to traverse. A wasteland of white spread out in all directions- no markings, no landmarks to find his bearings in sight, the only blemish on the land, his own footsteps and scrubby dead weeds- a legacy of some warmer time. He was glad for the track to follow- this was not a place he'd relish being lost in. At least the snow had largely stopped, save a few lonely flakes that would drift down lazily from time to time. Regardless, the land under him seemed more ice than snow- crusted and refrozen under a hardening shell. He was likely nearing the shore- the snow had been softer the further inland he had gone.

He trod a little heavier, steps louder for a few moments before he paused, panting lightly - expelling white vapor with every breath. This wasn't good; he was breathing far too hard for the effort he was exerting. Zoro wasn't sure of its meaning, but was almost certain it wasn't good. The cold air flooded into his lungs with every stabbing breath, almost visibly stealing his heat- his strength, burning everything it touched with an icy fire and releasing it to the air around him. He watched the clouding effect continue for a minute, before he got his breathing under control- forcing it to slow; evening what had become ragged and irregular.

Training, that's what this was.

When his heart rate had slowed again with the measured pulls of breath he took, he spared his charge a quick look and gave himself a start, losing the calm he'd found.

It might have been a trick of the light, or his imagination, but when he spared the unconscious man a brief glance, he could have sworn he had looked a little blue. Blinking hard, he propped the other man up for a closer look.

No, his eyes had been right the first time- and as he paid closer attention, he had to strain to see any signs of life. When he had first found the love-cook it had been easier to tell he was still breathing, but now it was so shallow the swordsman was nearly convinced he imagined it.

Cursing, he balanced Sanji in one arm, and then shifted him to the other as he ripped off his own coat. Damn stupid love cook, making him climb down a damn cliff after his sorry ass, lug him across the damn island and now go cold. He was NOT going to hear the end of this for some time. Tucking the warmed coat around Sanji, he hefted the other man's body higher against his chest, holding him closer- if awkwardly- to keep in the transferred heat.

"If you die after all this, I'm going to kill you", Zoro growled, and started jogging toward the ship- unconsciously speeding up as he went on. At least he had footprints to follow, this time.


	4. Lost and found

Note: Sorry about the spectacularly long wait on this update: life has been... ya. Also, I've had such a hard time with this chapter - it's been edited and flipped and revised so many times by now it's not even funny. Still not overly happy with it, but it does let me get to the next now, so... Anyway. If you're still reading this, thanks for sticking with it. ;)

Chapter 4

"I"ll be outside if you need me..."

Chopper quietly closed the door to the galley and turned to look over the ship, contemplating everything that had happened, and remained to be done. Nami had been sent off an hour or so ago, and he could only hope she was resting by now; it took a lot to shake the normally brazen navigator, but she was clearly upset when she had returned.

He fought the urge to go check on her and sighed deeply, as he finally moved to descend the steps. Usopp remained in the galley, now, having since settled into a quiet routine; between checking the stove and absently tinkering with whatever tiny project he had brought with him for a distraction. He was visibly worried, but trying his best to hide it from the doctor, and for that, Chopper found himself oddly grateful.

Though the other never said a word of it, Tony knew he had to be agitating the sharpshooter with all his hovering- it was just that he was so _anxious_... and with Nami asleep now, and all his preparations complete, his unease was left no other distraction than aborted gestures, and nervous chatter.

Finally, deciding he didn't want to take his stress out on Usopp, he managed to pull himself from his planning and step back, leaving things as they were.

In any case, they were as prepared as they could be given the circumstances; his supplies were on hand, and the best precautions he could think of were in place. Blankets had been piled just inside to stave off the clinging frost, at the ready for their nakama's return - packed with freshly baked stones every ten minutes to maintain their heat. In keeping of the oven, Usopp had also been delegated to keep coco warmed and ready - both the heat and the sugar content being desirable in a fight with hypothermia; which, the longer the search for their wayward cook went on, became more and more likely the inevitable scenario.

For now, there was little else he could do.

With nothing further to occupy him until he had a patient to treat, Chopper slowly ambled over the lower deck, wandering aimlessly to the rail. A stretch of dull, white land lay before him, reaching out ahead as far as he could see, until it was muddled in the distance. When they had arrived, the horizon had been blurred in a thick, steady snowfall that easily blocked out the lay of the land. Now, the storm had largely passed, but he still wasn't certain if those were hills in the distance, or just gusts of wind kicking up the white substance in a frozen parody of fog. It was hard to tell; there was no discernable breeze on the ship, but he swore he could see motion in the diaphanous haze.

It wouldn't take much- the snow that had been left on the ship remained stubbornly unfettered, crystalline forms laying lightly upon each other, until the slightest breath of wind stirred them, dancing, into the air with seemingly no cause. Most of it had been cleared off, but patches still swirled with every gust that touched the ship.

Chopper hefted a sigh at the sheer sense of loneliness descending upon him. He thought this island would be soothing, remind him of home and the life he'd left behind, but it just seemed so empty. Right now, he wanted nothing so much as the comforting presence of one of the others, but those who weren't currently on the island had been ordered out of the elements some time ago. He knew he was being over-protective, but the furry doctor had been born for these conditions and the rest of the crew had not; the last thing any of them needed at the moment were more patients to treat.

Hopefully, he scanned the horizon for any signs of life, but it only took a few minutes of forced stillness before he abandoned that venue in favor of restless pacing; his view wasn't likely to change, and the endless white was starting to hurt his eyes. Alone on the deck, his hooves rang loud on the wooden planks, and the deep, rhythmic clacking soothed his nerves slightly, distracting from the frustrating stillness that seemed to envelop this island- a certain degree of normalcy allowing him just enough relaxation to lose himself in his own thoughts.

Time.

Time was the problem here- they had all been gone too long, now; swallowed up in the vast, unforgiving sea of white.

The more he dwelled on the subject, the more he was convinced he should have gone out after the cook himself, but Robin hadn't returned yet, and the captain was gone almost as soon as Nami arrived, breathless and worried- Zoro following closely behind. He couldn't leave as well, then- not when there were too many variables- too many possible injuries to any of them. He had to be here, he had to be dependable; if any of them came back needing help, and he was gone- what would happen? They were relying on him.

It was a frustrating decision to make…

Abruptly, the lonely resonance of his own steps was added too, augmented, and he froze, hope surging through him like a torrent. He held his breath, fearing to turn, lest his ears be proven wrong. When footsteps sounded once more on the deck behind him, he knew it was one of his returning crewmates. The thuds were too heavy and abrupt to be Robin, and lacked the slap-clap of Luffy's sandals- even too heavy a step to be normal for their resident swordsman, which meant-

"Zoro, you found hi—"

Turning, the words died in his throat. He'd seen something like that look before, when Zoro had been in the midst of battle - everything on the line and down to his last reserves... With no opponent, it lacked the focused weight, but even so, still pushed Chopper back a step, stomach tensing uncertainly. Even as instinct surged through his blood, warning of a predator, the doctor in him suppressed the impulse and stepped forward tentatively.

After all, he knew with no doubts that Zoro would never hurt him- and he forced himself to focus on the job at hand. Taking but a moment to reorder his thoughts, he looked them over, while planning what needed to be done first for treatment.

He was initially overjoyed that they had returned, but he couldn't find much comfort in the sight that greeted him, now. Zoro stood braced on the deck, arms conspicuously bare; coat having apparently contributed to the bundle he now bore. Familiar legs poked out of one end of the cocoon, confirming his initial suspicion of his crewmates return, but his motionless state was more than a little disturbing. Both were covered liberally in snow, and what he could see of the swordsman's skin was either an angry red or blotchy white.

"Zoro, what happened…?"

Peripherally, Chopper saw his mouth open, throat working soundlessly for a moment before he coughed, rasping, "Found the shit cook… had to carry the bastard back…"

He lifted the bundle slightly, by way of explanation, but the form within barely moved.

His eyes shot back up to Zoro's, any lingering trepidation washed away. The sound of his voice drove home just how long they'd been out. An analytical corner of his mind noted dehydration as a symptom to be visited later, but Chopper stifled the thought for now.

"He had already lost consciousness when you found him?"

Zoro nodded in answer, explaining briefly the condition in which he had found the cook, and the doctor's agitation grew until he finally darted forward, grasping the edge of his haramaki urgently, with a worried, "You need to come with me", and pulled him toward the shower room; pausing only long enough to bellow up toward the galley, "USOPP! GET THE SUPPLIES, THEY'RE BACK!"

~oOoOoOo~

Luffy had been wandering down this branch of the tunnel for some time when he heard it. Distracted momentarily, he crept forward, wondering what was making the noise- almost like a weak sniffling, but choked off before it could become more, remaining a faint, illusive sound.

He was proud of himself- he'd been watching how Zoro moved when he didn't want to be noticed; Luffy was almost certain he'd gotten it down, now. His sandals only made the faintest scraping sound, far too low for anything to hear him over the noise it was making, and he grinned as he stalked quietly forward, trying not to scare whatever it was he was looking for. It got slightly louder, clearer, the closer he got to the source, until suddenly it was behind him.

Blinking, he turned around, surveying the cave. He hadn't seen anything that could have been making that kind of a sound, but he was determined to find where that 'mystery noise' was coming from. Eyes scanned his monotonous surroundings; nothing seemed out of place- rock walls ended in rock floors, and above, much the same. Columns of stone rose upwards, in places touching the rock above- in others, ever reaching to that goal.

Backtracking carefully, he finally arrived at one such pillar; terminating only a few feet from the ceiling- other, smaller pillars crowding around its base. The thought of a mother herding her babies occurred to him, and he chuckled to himself, imagining entire packs of stone animals lurking beneath the surface.

As soon as that sound left his lips the one he had been following cut off sharply in a gasp. Startled, he looked up in time to see a tiny, frightened face peer down at him from the top of the tallest pillar, before ducking quickly out of sight.

"Hey!" He took a few steps backward, trying to better see the person now hiding at the top. "What'cha doin' up there?"

"N-nothing…" A tiny voice called out, high and timid, "G-go away…"

He blinked up at the child for a minute, before turning to walk away as asked. "Ok, have fun…"

He had only taken a few steps when the voice called out again, "W-wait!" She sniffled, watching him turn and approach once more. "I d-didn't think y-you'd really go…"

He cocked his head at her, taking in the rocks once more. "You asked me too..." He trailed off, with a shrug, wondering if this was one of those 'girls things' Nami had sometimes when she said something but meant something else. He'd have to ask her when he got back. "What'cha doin?", he asked again, craning his head up to better take in the child. She didn't _look_ hurt from there, just scared; dirty face covered in tear tracks.

She started to tear up again, face crumpling in distress for a minute, before she bit it back, angrily scrubbing at her eyes with dirty hands. Even so, every few words were interrupted by helpless sniffles. "I was playing... and I hid up here... but... but... no one found me... and I've been stuck here for so long... and I can't get down..."

"_Oh_, is that all?" He smiled, then, pleased that it was an easy problem to fix. "Do you want me to get you down?" It wasn't high; he'd barely have to stretch.

She blinked at him, taken aback. "But you're too big, you can't fit up here too!"

He grinned, "Not _all_ of me has to fit!"

Winding up one arm, he _reached_ for the pillar she was perched on, gripping the very edge and holding tight. She almost toppled off the back when he lashed out for the hold, but managed to cling on, scrabbling back to the top. "Wha-what ARE you?", the girl sputtered, hunkering towards the back again.

"I'm a Rubber-man!"

He smiled broadly, and she crept forward again, scrutinizing the lengthened appendage with slowly lessening uncertainty. Hope is a powerful prompt, and it didn't take long for her to agree once he finally asked her to take his hand. "Hold tight." Then everything happened too fast to react; as soon as she had gripped him, he tugged _/hard_/, and she tumbled down off her perch. The arm pulled her down much faster than gravity had sent her towards the rocks, though, and she landed instead, harmlessly on Luffy's chest.

She blinked owlishly down at him for a few minutes before he grinned wildly. "Hi, I'm Luffy- what's your name?"

.

[I *promise* it will not take me this long to get the next chapter up... I've also noticed the site ate my line breaks from previous chapters, so I'll try to clean those up soon-ish, too.]


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